FIRST LOOK:

Join the Pew Charitable Trusts and The BuildStrong Coalition for a discussion with policy experts and elected officials on ways the 117th Congress can better support state and local efforts to address growing flood risks. FRIDAY at 11:00 ET.

Aii See You: Are pipelines a poverty cure? So says to the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure, a new group profiled in today’s Denier Roundup. Scroll down to read, and judge for yourself.

Chicago Hunger Strikers Fight Metal Recycling Facility: Hunger strikers in Chicago are fighting the relocation of a metal shredding facility from a white North Side neighborhood to a predominantly Black and Latinx community on the Southeast Side already plagued by numerous polluting industries. Tomorrow the three original hunger strikers, Oscar Sanchez, Breanna Bertacchi and Chuck Stark will complete their fourth week without food. “It is immoral, it is discriminatory and we cannot allow [this plant to operate] in a pandemic when we can prevent it,” Byron Sigcho-Lopez, the 25th ward alderman who has joined the hunger strike for “as long as it’s needed,” told the Guardian. The U.S. EPA suspended its environmental justice investigation into whether Illinois discriminated against the predominantly Black and Latinx Southeast Side community after the Illinois EPA began "informal resolution agreement discussions," Block Club Chicago reported. Last month, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfood also sought guidance from federal regulators and appears to be hoping the Biden administration will make the call over whether the scrap yard can be moved to the Southeast Side, according to the Chicago Tribune. (Block Club Chicago, The Guardian, Grist)

Texas Taxpayers On The Hook For Orphaned Well Costs: When Weatherly Oil and Gas went bankrupt in February 2019, it left the state of Texas on the hook for $10 million of cleanup costs, the Texas Observer and Grist report. Bankrupt drillers leaving behind unplugged wells has only worsened in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic. So-called because they have been abandoned by unknown or insolvent operators, orphaned wells can leach toxins into ground water and release heat-trapping methane and other pollutants into the air. In Texas alone, 31 companies worth more than $50 billion went bankrupt in 2020, leaving behind a wave of wells for which taxpayers will be on the hook. Even though oil and gas companies are supposed to set aside money to pay to cap wells if they go bankrupt, weak and frequently-waived, regulatory requirements will leave Texas taxpayers to foot the $300 million bill to clean up the state's (at least) 6,000 orphaned wells, according to a new report from Commission Shift. No one knows how many abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells exist in the U.S., but EPA-cited estimates in 2018 ranged from 2.3 million to approximately 3 million — numbers that have almost certainly grown since then. Plugging and remediating orphaned well sites could be a major job creator, employing as many as 125,000 oil and gas industry workers. Weatherly paid its top executives a combined $8.6 million in the year before its bankruptcy and its former CEO became a bankruptcy expert for FTI Consulting. (Texas Observer and Grist)

Biden DOJ Holds Course On Juliana, Solar Tariffs Litigation: The Biden administration on Monday told a federal appeals court it should not wait to send a lawsuit, brought by youth activists claiming a constitutional right to protection from climate change, back to a lower court to dismiss the case. This is the first time the Department of Justice under President Biden has waded into Juliana v. United States, and for now at least, is maintaining the Trump administration’s position. The plaintiffs, DOJ lawyers argued, failed to show that formally dismissing the case would cause them irreparable harm. It also argued that even if the case were heard by the Supreme Court, which the DOJ does not expect, the plaintiffs would be "exceedingly unlikely" to succeed. Also on Monday, the Biden administration asked a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit brought by SEIA, NextEra Energy, and other renewables groups seeking to block a Trump tariff on bifacial solar panels. Trump "acted lawfully and fully within his authority" when he eliminated an exemption for double-sided panels, DOJ lawyers said, "and, thus, the Court should dismiss the complaint." (Juliana: E&E $; Solar tariffs: Bloomberg $, E&E $, Greentech Media)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: Weekslong water crisis continues in Mississippi, hitting Black residents hardest (HuffPost)

CLIMATE LITIGATION: MS patient sues Austria over health impact of climate change (AP)

EVolvo: Volvo says it will be ‘fully electric’ by 2030 and move car sales online (CNBC, New York Times $, The Hill, Axios, FT $)

TEXAS: Texas grid crisis: Resignations, lawsuits and bankruptcy (E&E $), ERCOT shuts down Griddy, as Paxton sues power retailer over 'deceptive business practices' (Houston Chronicle), Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calls for resignations at Public Utility Commission, power grid operator over winter storm (Texas Tribune), Texas must increase ties to the national grid and DER to avoid another power catastrophe, analysts say (Utility Dive)

AGENCIES: Agriculture secretary sees ‘early wins’ on climate from farms (Bloomberg $), enviros press EPA on smog concerns in Permian Basin (E&E $), progressives urge Biden to freeze more Trump rules (E&E $), reversing Trump, Interior Department moves swiftly on climate change (New York Times $), USDA reevaluates plan to turn ditch into water pipeline (AP)

AGENDA: US infrastructure earns a C- ahead of a Biden investment plan. (New York Times $, AP), Western governors want input on Biden oil and gas orders (E&E $), Biden admin eyes border climate tax (E&E $)

THE HILL: Bills would boost feds' use of clean cars, renewables (E&E $), Dems float bill package to reform oil and gas oversight (E&E $), House Democrats reintroduce roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2050 (The Hill), House Democrats seek reform of federal lands drilling program (Reuters), Republicans skeptical of hearings on Texas blackouts (E&E $), Tax credit could be key to Dem unity on climate (E&E $), top Dems unveil sweeping climate, environmental justice bill (E&E $)

POLITICS: Romney, Gina McCarthy once teamed on CO2. Will they again? (E&E $), Keystone XL developer hires lobbyist with Biden ties (E&E $), railroads trumpet trains over trucks in climate pitch (E&E $), the Fauci of climate change? Gina McCarthy is in charge of Biden’s massive climate agenda. (Vox)

NOMINEES & CONFIRMATIONS: [SEC Nominee] Gensler: SEC should consider corporate political spending disclosures (Politico), Deb Haaland's next Senate meeting set [for Thursday] (Indian Country Today, E&E $), Senate confirms Gina Raimondo as Commerce secretary (E&E $, Politico, E&E $)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Biden called climate change an ‘existential threat.’ Can the U.N. Security Council help? (Washington Post $)

TRANSITION, PERSONNEL: U.S. Treasury names climate economist, tax partner to senior posts (Reuters)

CITIES AND STATES: Black-owned ‘climate tech’ startup making inner cities greener raises $63 million (Atlanta Black Star), Massachusetts groups back expanded carbon tax with focus on equity (Energy News Network)

FERC: Ex-chair urges FERC to examine failed transmission case (E&E $)

IMPACTS: In February the US experienced record cold temperatures while much of the planet hit all-time highs (CNN), in rapidly warming Colorado river basin, the negotiating table is being set (KUNC), in the Atlantic Ocean, subtle shifts hint at dramatic dangers (New York Times $)

FIRE & WATER: Creek Fire: Rain storm could hurt water quality near Fresno (Fresno Bee)

FLOODING: Report hits states for failing to mandate flood disclosures (E&E $), Florida’s flood disclosure rules leave homebuyers in the dark (Bloomberg $)

CERAWEEK: Pioneer CEO sees 'very little growth' in U.S. oil production (Reuters), Chevron, Saudi Aramco CEOs bullish on natural gas in low-carbon future (Houston Chronicle), government policies, economics creating market for carbon capture: Exxon CEO (Reuters), oil leaders clash over fuel's future at virtual CERAWeek (Houston Chronicle), US-China climate reboot at CERAWeek takes center stage (E&E $), US climate czar urges oil industry to hasten transition to renewables (Reuters), API weighs embracing price on carbon emissions (S&P Global), QP CEO looks forward to ExxonMobil 'definitely' partnering on North Field (S&P Global), Bill Gates, Amazon stir controversy with clean energy plans (E&E $), ‘very risky business.' Oil CEOs on survival in Biden era (E&E $), Kerry presses oil companies to tackle climate change (The Hill), Kerry sees challenge to 'disentangle' climate in China talks (Politico Pro $), Kerry warns energy execs on emissions: 'We are way behind' (E&E $)

RENEWABLES: India’s plans for global solar domination (Energy Monitor), US lags international peers on renewables development, and federal policy is to blame: Moody's (Utility Dive), Biden faces steep challenges to reach renewable energy goals (AP)

BATTERIES: Mining magnets: Arctic island finds green power can be a curse (Reuters), the hottest amenity from developers? A power plant made of batteries. (New York Times $)

MONEY TALK$: Leaked big oil docs hint at support for a carbon tax, but the money trail tells a different story (Earther)

LNG: A $2 billion energy project threatens a 7,000 year-old reef (Bloomberg $)

PIPELINES: Bowing to opposition, Summit Natural Gas withdraws midcoast pipeline plan (Portland Press Herald)

COAL: Cancel all planned coal projects globally to end ‘deadly addiction’, says UN chief (The Guardian, Thomson Reuters Foundation), Japan, US exposed as UN chief urges G7 to commit to 2030 coal exit (Climate Home), Bloomberg unveils coal plant closure tracker (E&E $), how private equity squeezes cash from the dying U.S. coal industry (Reuters)

HYDROGEN: How Siemens energy is targeting the US green hydrogen opportunity (Greentech Media)

EVs: How green are electric vehicles? (New York Times $), Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Gates bet on electric motor startup (Bloomberg $)

CARBON CAPTURE: Carbon dioxide would be stored underground in North Dakota (AP)

INSURANCE: Climate change is tightening insurance markets. that’s no good for the solar industry (Greentech Media), climate change could put insurance out of reach for many Australians (The Guardian)

INTERNATIONAL: Bangladesh scraps nine coal power plants as overseas finance dries up (Climate Home), China cuts "carbon intensity" 18.8% in past five years, in effort to rein in emissions (Reuters), EU probes Germany’s move to pay for coal plant closures (AP), European corporate emissions are running too ‘hot,’ report says (Bloomberg $), Japanese steel giant shifts to recycled metal in green race (Bloomberg $), the Greek island where renewable energy and hybrid cars rule (InsideClimate News)

• If your allergies are more severe, more expensive and last longer, blame climate change (USA Today, Dr. Neelu Tummala op-ed)
• New homes need to be fossil fuel-free (LA Times, Editorial Board $)
• Biden’s climate chief Gina McCarthy on mobilizing “armies of people” to cut emissions (Vox, interview)
• The key to passing climate policy? Rein in (or win over) utilities monopolies. (Grist, Joshua A. Basseches analysis)
• An evangelical scientist on reconciling her religion and the realities of climate change (Washington Post, Katharine Hayhoe interview $)
• Gas is too risky for our climate future (Des Moines Register, Katie Rock op-ed)
• Green New Deal's 3 billion ton problem: sourcing technology metals (The Hill, Saleem Ali op-ed)
• Attention, lawmakers — regulation is more popular than you think (The Hill, Sidney Shapiro op-ed)

Gas, Pipelines Are A Cure For Poverty, Says OpEd By Gas, Pipeline Proponent In RealClearEnergy

While skimming the organized denial cesspool that is RealClearEnergy, we came across a name and organization that were new to us, Benjamin Dierker of the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure. The op-ed, like most at RCE, was an amalgam of pro-gas and pro-pipeline talking points, citing API and the Chamber of Commerce, for example, to claim gas is somehow “the answer for the poor and those hoping to escape poverty.” 

Lacking a more seasoned liars' subtlety, we got curious about Dierker and his organization. Was the vague-sounding Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure a misguided outfit of well-meaning engineers and infrastructure experts? Or just another front for the oil and gas industry hiding behind glossy stock photos? That the piece appeared in RealClear gave us reason to suspect the latter, and we started poking around the organization’s website. 

At first, it looks inoffensive, as bland and glossy as any public-facing organization would be, complete with language that contains as much helpful and descriptive information about the organization as there is pulp in an orange soda. 

While both the team at Aii, and its Advisory Council is almost exclusively made up of headshots that give off major “actually, all lives matter” vibes, it’s clearly a merit-based workplace that believes in advancing early-stage employees’ careers. Because in 2015, Benjamin Dierker joined Aii as a public policy intern. Now he’s the Acting Executive Director and Director of Public Policy. 

With incredibly deft and current talking points like “the bridge of natural gas is ready” in the year 2021 coming from Dierker, it’s clear he’s got what it takes to do industry PR. But Acting Executive Director? That seems like quite a jump for the relatively young man, which might make one wonder what happened with Aii’s founder and former chairman Brigham McCown. While he’s still on the Board of Directors, his bio doesn’t say why he’s no longer chairman. But the very last sentence does say that he’s also the chief executive of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System. Ahh. Well. Hmm. 

Firing up the old google machine, we found that in 2017, Aii sent then-chairman Brigham McCown to Louisiana for a permit hearing so he could speak in support of Energy Transfer Partners’ Bayou Bridge pipeline, deploying the tired industry talking point that the obviously local resistance to the pipeline was actually an out-of-state-conspiracy. (The Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.) 

So it’s a vaguely-named organization with unusual succession practices formerly run by a current oil pipeline executive, and currently delivering pro-pipeline propaganda in a key outlet in the Koch et al. organized denial network. 

We haven’t seen the 990’s confirming their donation from Donors Trust or the Mercers or Koch Foundation yet. We also haven’t bothered to look, because sometimes actions speak louder than financial disclosure statements. 

The most compelling indication that Aii is just a mouthpiece for industry and polluters, the undeniable mark of their denial, is that among the sixteen men on the team page, as of Feb 11, 2021, there is a single woman on their Board of Directors: Mandy Gunasekara. 

For those who don’t recognize the name, Gunasekara’s credentials are impressive ... in that while most Trump administration appointees either came from polluter-subsidized nonprofit organizations before serving, or went to work at one afterwards, Mandy managed to do both! 

After working for legendary polluter protector James Inhofe (she handed him that snowball!) and then for Inhofe’s fellow Oklahoma polluter protector Scott Pruitt at the EPA as a chief attorney, she took the revolving door out of the agency to set up the Energy 45 Fund as a dark money mouthpiece for the Trump administration’s dirty energy policies, signed up a bunch of dirty energy clients and did a rightwing-media blitz, then a year later went back in to serve as Chief of Staff for former coal lobbyist (and fellow former Inhofe staffer) turned Trump EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler. Now she’s at Aii. 

… it’s a good thing the Trump admin kept that revolving door well-oiled! 

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to receive Hot News every morning!

Send updates or feedback to nkauffman@climatenexus.org
Submit events and other items for consideration for a First Look using this form
Some articles require logins or subscriptions ($)